Electric-current indicator.



F. N. CONANT. ELEGTRIG CURRENT INDICATOR. APPLIGATIQN FILED JAN.11,1907.

913, 105. l Patented Feb.23,19o9.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

` 'FRANKLIN N. CONANT, OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TOCHASE-SHAWMUT CO., OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMAINE.

ELECTRIC-CURRENT INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Application led January 11, 1907. Serial No. 351,7(

of Newburyport, county of Essex, State of y representing like struct rapor-table electric currentl indicator,

Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric CurrentIndicators, of whichthe following description, in connection with` theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on thedrawings arts.

; Thisginvention as for its object. to con- .which is' especiallydesigned to be applied'to or placed in contact with an electric fuse orcutfout, to indicate whether or not the fusewirehas been disrupted, yetit may be used for a. variety of other purposes.

The invention consists 1n the employment of an incandescent electriclamp, which serves as the indicating-device, and means to mechanicallyand electrically connect it with "a suitable form of suplport whereby itmay be conveniently han d. The suplport is provided with a pair ofterminals, w ich are adapted to be placed in engagement with theterminals of an electric fuse or cut-out, to thereby connect theindicator in a shunt circuit around said. fuse or cut-out, and if thefuse-wire is disru ted the current will ass through the indlcator andcause the amp to glow; but if the fuse-wire has not been disrupted thenno lappreciable part of the current will pass through the indicator andthe lamp will not low. As a convenient form of support for t eindicating-device I prefer to employ a shell or case of insulatingmaterial, having end caps which serve as the terminals, and theindicating-device is contained in said shell or case and its terminalselectrically land mechanically connected with the terminals of the shellor case.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation an electric current indicatorembodyingthis invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ofthe same, taken on the dotted line 2 2. Fig. 3 shows a modied form ofsupport for the indicating-device.

The indicating-device which I prefer to employ consists of anincandescent electric lamp a, of any suitable constructmn and of anyrequired voltage, which is adapted-to be held in a lamp-socket a. alsoof any suitable construction. The socket c has a bottom of insulatingmaterial through .which eX- tends a screw a2 of conducting material, thehead. of which occupies a position on the inside of the socket. Thecontrol stud or contact of the lamp normally engages the head of saidscrew. The socket a has attached to it oneend of a wire l), of any Isuitable length, the opposite end of which is attached to a screw b ofconducting material. The two screws a2 and b', therefore, serve as theterminals of the indicatingdevice. An uninterrupted path for the currentthrough the indicating-device is provided as follows: screw a2, centrallam contact, lamp filament socket a', wire and screw b. Theindicating-device thus constructed is contained in a shell or case ofany, suitable construction by which it is supported in such manner thatit may be conveniently handled, and for the purpose of illustrating 'myinvention the shell or case comprises a tubular cylinder c, of suitabledimensions and composed of insulating material, having end caps c', c2,of conducting material tted upon and secured to its opposite ends. Theend ca s c', c2 have holes t rough them through which the screws .0.2,b', extend, and for the purpose of mechanically holdingthe partsassembled as well as for electrically connecting the screws a2, b', resectively with the end caps, nuts c3, c, eit er or both, are turned onthe screws, the end nuts, if two are employed on each screw, or thesingle nut thus employed, being brought to bear firmly against the endcaps to insure an electric connection. When the parts are thus connectedtogether the end caps become the terminals of the indicator. The lengthof the shell or case is such that the distance between the terminals isapproximately the same as the distance between the terminals of the fuseor cut outs, so that the device may bel placed with its terminals inengagement with the terminals of the fuse or cut-out, to therebydetermine whether or not the fusewire has been disru ted. The end caps,however, will be ma e quite long so as to engage the terminals of manydifferent sizes of fuses or cut-outs. When the device is thus applied-to a fuse or cut-out the indicating-device will be connected in a shuntcircuit around it, and if the fuse-wire is disrupted the current willpass through the indicator and cause the lamp to glow.

The shell or case is formed or provided with an aperture c5 throughwhich the lamp may be observed, as shown in Figs. 1 or 2,

or the cylinder c may be composed of glass, or other translucentnon-conducting material, as shown in Fig. 3, Which, for the purpose ofvmy invention, Wl form the 'equivalent of the cylinder having the anaperture and also having Ia pair ofv metallic caps at its opposite ends,an incandescent lamp and socket therefor contained in said shell orcase, means for rne- -chanically and yelectric-ally connecting saidsocket With one of said end caps, and means for, electricallyconnectingit With the other end cap, substantially as described.

2. An electric current inldicator consisting of an insulated indosingshell or case having an aperture, and lalso having a pair of metalliccaps at its opposite ends, an incandescent lamp and soclztthereforcontained in said shell or case, Imeans for detachably connecting saidsocket with one of the end caps, a Wire leading from said socket to theopposite end of the shell or Case, and means for detachably connectingit with the other end cap, substantially as described.

3. An electric current indicator consisting "of an insulated .inclosingshell or case having an aperture and also having a pair of metallic capsat its opposite ends, an in-l candescent lamp and socket thereforcontained in said shell or case, a screw extending from said socketthrough one of said end ca s, and a nut thereon, a Wire leading from thesocket to the opposite end of the shell or case, a screw extendingthrough 'the other end cap to which said Wire is connected and a nutthereon, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to 'this specification, inthe presence of tW'o subscribing vdtnesses.

FRANKLIN N. CONANT.

witnesses 2 B. J. Novas, L. H. HARRIMAN.

